US7244899B2 - Keypad assembly for portable terminal - Google Patents

Keypad assembly for portable terminal Download PDF

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Publication number
US7244899B2
US7244899B2 US11/348,782 US34878206A US7244899B2 US 7244899 B2 US7244899 B2 US 7244899B2 US 34878206 A US34878206 A US 34878206A US 7244899 B2 US7244899 B2 US 7244899B2
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United States
Prior art keywords
portable terminal
light guide
keypad assembly
light
guide plate
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Active
Application number
US11/348,782
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English (en)
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US20060289283A1 (en
Inventor
Sun-tae Jung
Dong-Hoon Jang
Mun-Kue Park
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Publication date
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Assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. reassignment SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: JANG, DONG-HOON, JUNG, SUN-TAE, PARK, MUN-KUE
Publication of US20060289283A1 publication Critical patent/US20060289283A1/en
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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
    • H04M1/23—Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1626—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F1/00—Details not covered by groups G06F3/00 - G06F13/00 and G06F21/00
    • G06F1/16—Constructional details or arrangements
    • G06F1/1613—Constructional details or arrangements for portable computers
    • G06F1/1633—Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
    • G06F1/1662—Details related to the integrated keyboard
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/02—Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
    • G06F3/0202—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
    • H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
    • H01H13/83—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/16—Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
    • H04M1/02—Constructional features of telephone sets
    • H04M1/22—Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2219/00—Legends
    • H01H2219/054—Optical elements
    • H01H2219/056—Diffuser; Uneven surface
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2219/00—Legends
    • H01H2219/054—Optical elements
    • H01H2219/06—Reflector
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2219/00—Legends
    • H01H2219/054—Optical elements
    • H01H2219/062—Light conductor

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a portable terminal such as cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), Personal Communication System (PCS), game phones, camera phones, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) phones, and more particularly to a portable terminal having a lighting function to enable a user to dial another user at night.
  • a portable terminal such as cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA), Personal Communication System (PCS), game phones, camera phones, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) phones, and more particularly to a portable terminal having a lighting function to enable a user to dial another user at night.
  • PDA Personal Digital Assistants
  • PCS Personal Communication System
  • DMB Digital Multimedia Broadcasting
  • a portable terminal implies an electronic device that a user can carry for communication with another user wirelessly.
  • the design of such a portable terminal focuses not only toward a compactness, slimness, and lightness, but also toward providing multimedia capabilities to allow the user to enjoy a wider variety of functions.
  • future portable terminals will be used in a multimedia environment to provide the Internet access and its related functions globally.
  • a conventional portable communication terminal allows a voice communication as well as a high-speed data communication. Further, as consumer's demands have increased, various services have been provided using a wireless communication technology for transmitting and receiving data at a high speed. Most portable terminals are now equipped with an embedded or an external camera lens to transmit image signals and the like.
  • the portable terminal typically includes data input and output units, data transmitting and receiving units, an antenna unit and the like.
  • the data input unit includes a keypad assembly or a touch screen to input data.
  • the keypad assembly is constructed with key buttons, silicon rubber, dome switches and the like.
  • a well-known liquid crystal display unit is generally used as data output unit.
  • the portable terminal has a lighting device for lighting the keypad and may include a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged on a printed substrate, or an inorganic electro luminescent body inserted in an elastic pad disposed on the printed substrate.
  • FIG. 1 shows such a conventional keypad assembly 100 , which includes a switch substrate 120 , a plurality of light emitting diode 122 , and a keypad 110 .
  • the keypad 110 is made from an elastic material, i.e., silicon and other material made from the combination of silicone and a poly urethane film.
  • the keypad 110 includes a plate-shaped elastic layer 111 , a plurality of key buttons 112 having characters printed thereon and mounted on the elastic layer 111 , and a plurality of protuberances 111 a formed at a lower surface of the key pad 110 .
  • the key buttons 112 and the protuberances 111 a are vertically aligned to each other.
  • the switch substrate 120 includes a plate-shaped printed substrate 120 a and a plurality of switches 121 facing the protuberance 111 a of the keypad 110 .
  • Each of the switches 121 is provided with a conductive contact and a metal dome entirely covering the conductive contact.
  • the light emitting diodes 122 are disposed at predetermined positions on the printed substrate 120 a.
  • the light emitting diodes 122 are disposed on the printed substrate 120 a , each of which is not vertically aligned to the corresponding key button 112 . That is, the light emitting diodes 122 are disposed between the switches 121 .
  • the light emitted toward the respective key button 112 from the light emitting diode 122 diverges in all directions, so that the illumination of the key buttons 112 becomes non-uniform and dark. That is, as the light emitted from the light emitting diode is shed through the side of each key button, the number or characters printed on the respective key button cannot be displayed with a uniform brightness.
  • the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems occurring in the prior art and provides additional advantages, by providing a keypad assembly for a portable terminal, which can be illuminated with a uniform brightness for the entire keypad.
  • One aspect of the present invention is to provide a keypad assembly for a portable terminal, which has a local light source for key buttons disposed at the edge of the keypad, thereby providing a uniform surface light source for the entire keypad.
  • Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a keypad assembly for a portable terminal, which has a light source consuming minimum electric power.
  • Still another aspect of the present invention is to provide a keypad assembly for a portable terminal, which has a top view-type light source instead of the side view-type light source, so that it can provide a uniform brightness.
  • a keypad assembly for a portable terminal includes: a keypad including pad portions having key buttons placed thereon, light guide plates disposed between the pad portions, and reflection units disposed on the light guide plates to direct the light toward the key buttons; light sources for providing the light toward the reflection units; a plurality of spacers disposed below the light guide plates for separating the light guide plate from a substrate and supporting the light guide plates; switches disposed below the pad portions under the key buttons for applying signal to the substrate; and a casing for enclosing the keypad.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional keypad assembly of a portable terminal
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective of a portable terminal having a keypad assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a keypad assembly for a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a keypad assembly for a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a pad portion has the same thickness as that of a light guide plate;
  • FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a keypad assembly for a portable terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which the light guide plate has a tapered portion;
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a reflection unit in a keypad assembly for a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a keypad assembly for a portable terminal according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which a pad portion has the same thickness as that of a light guide plate;
  • FIG. 2 shows a portable terminal 300 having a keypad assembly according to the present invention.
  • the portable terminal 300 includes a speaker 310 , a display unit 320 , a keypad assembly having a plurality of key buttons 330 , and a microphone 340 , which are arranged on an upper surface of the portable terminal 300 .
  • the key buttons 330 are protruding out of a casing 301 so that the top of each key button 330 is exposed. Therefore, a user can touch and push the top of the key button 330 to input data or activate the phone.
  • the keypad assembly 200 includes a keypad, a light source 230 , spacers 225 , switch portions 240 , and a casing 250 (see FIG. 8 ).
  • the keypad includes pad portions 210 provided with a plurality of key buttons K, a light guide plate 220 disposed between and in parallel with the pad portions 210 , and a reflection unit 260 which directs light transmitted from the light source 230 toward each key button K.
  • the pad portions 210 are made from materials having a high elasticity.
  • the light guide plate 220 is preferably made of materials having a good transmittance in the visible ray region.
  • the light guide plate 220 is made of the same material as that of the pad portion 210 , and preferably is made of elastic silicon materials so that the light guide plate 220 can play the role as a part of the pad portion 210 .
  • the reflection units 260 are disposed on an upper surface of the light guide plate 220 , specifically, on portions corresponding to the key buttons arranged on the substrate.
  • the positions of the reflection units 260 are determined based on the relative positions of the arranged key buttons K.
  • This configuration causes the reflection units 260 to reflect the light to the pad portion 210 so as to give an entirely uniform brightness to the keypad. That is, the positions of the reflection units 260 are determined depending on the arrangement of the key buttons K deployed in the portable terminal.
  • the respective reflection unit 260 may include a reflection mirror or a unit having a reflective coating layer with a high reflectance.
  • the unit having the reflective coating layer may include a metallic material and a reflective coating layer coated on the metallic material. It is unnecessary to limit the reflection unit 260 to the reflective coating layer made of the metallic material, thus the reflection unit 260 may be made by preparing an inclined structure on the light guide plate and then coating a suitable material on the incline structure.
  • the suitable materials include materials having a higher refractive index than the light guide plate.
  • Each of the reflection units 260 has a triangular shape in section, which includes at least one inclined surface. That is, FIG 3 shows a cross section of the reflection units 260 , but the reflection unit 260 is a conical shape. Accordingly, a light emitted from the light source 230 is transmitted by the conical reflection units in all directions.
  • the reflection unit 260 has a reflective coating layer formed on the inclined surface facing the light source 230 .
  • the light source 230 is disposed vertically below the reflection unit 260 and between the spacers 225 or between the key buttons K to emit the light toward the reflection unit 260 so as to give an entirely uniform brightness to the keypad.
  • the light source 230 is locally disposed in a dark region of the keypad. It is preferred that a light emitting diode is used as the light source 230 in consideration of the lifetime and the environment.
  • the dome switches 240 are metal dome switches, which apply electric signals to a processor as the user presses a key.
  • the pad portion 210 having the key buttons K further includes protuberances 212 to activate the dome switches 240 .
  • Each of the protuberances 212 includes a reflection pattern 214 to locally guide the light reflected by the reflection unit 260 toward each of the key buttons K.
  • the region of the reflection pattern corresponds to the width of the respective key button K in order to transmit the reflected light to the key button K as much as possible.
  • the spacers 225 is disposed below the light guide plate 220 in order to support the light guide plate 220 spaced apart from the substrate B.
  • the spacers 225 are made of the same material as that of the light guide plate 220 . More specially, it is economical to integrate the spacers 225 with the light guide plate 220 using silicon material. However, some structure does not include the spacer 225 and can be separated from the guide plate 220 .
  • the spacers 225 supporting the light guide plate 220 may be used to adjust the height of the light guide plate 220 with respect to the pad portions 210 . Thus, the size of the spacers may be changed according to its purpose. Further, the spacers 225 may be disposed near the dome switches 240 , for example, below the pad portion 210 as well as the light guide plate 220 .
  • the reflection unit 260 as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 has an isosceles triangular shape in a cross section, particularly a conical shape, which is comprised of a reflective mirror that a reflective layer is disposed on its surface.
  • the FIGS. 3 to 5 show a cross section of the reflection unit with the first and second inclined surfaces 261 and 262 .
  • the first and second inclined surfaces 261 and 262 are symmetric to each other and serve to direct the light from the light source 230 toward the key button K.
  • the shape of the reflection unit 260 may have different shapes other than the triangular shape, specifically a conical shape.
  • the reflection unit 260 may be formed in convex or concave shape having a certain curvature.
  • it is important that the reflection unit 260 must have a surface shape capable of preventing the light from the light source 230 from leaking out of the keypad and transmitting the light to the key button K as much as possible.
  • the light guide plate 220 - 1 shown in FIG. 4 has the same thickness as the pad portion 210 in the portion in contact with the pad portion 210 .
  • the light guide plate does not have to have the same thickness as the pad portion.
  • the light guide plate 220 is thicker than the pad portion 210 in order to prevent the light guided from the light source through the light guide plate 220 from leaking and transmit it to the pad portion 210 as much as possible.
  • FIG. 5 shows a light guide plate 220 - 2 having a tapered portion 224 .
  • the tapered portion 224 is provided to the light guide plate 220 - 2 . That is, the tapered portion 224 can prevent the loss of the light in the discontinuity region due to a difference in the thickness between the light guide plate 220 and the pad portion 210 .
  • the above-mentioned light guide plate 220 may be formed integrally with the pad portion 210 and may be made of materials having low hardness, high elastic coefficient, high elastic recovery force, and high permeability, for example, silicon material or polyurethane material in order to play a role as the pad portion 210 .
  • the key buttons K- 1 placed at the outer edge of the keypad may possibly darker during operation due to distance.
  • the reflection unit 260 - 1 it is desirable for the reflection unit 260 - 1 to reflect the light in only one direction for such key buttons.
  • the reflection unit 260 - 1 having a right triangular shape in a cross section, specifically a semi-conical shape, with a single inclined surface 263 may be provided according to anther embodiment of the present invention.
  • the FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the reflection unit having the right triangular shape.
  • the single inclined surface 263 directs the light from the light source 230 toward the key buttons K- 1 .
  • other functions, such as pad portion, switches, light guide plate, and light source, shown in FIG. 6 is omitted to avoid redundancy as they are already described with reference to FIG. 3 .
  • the reflection unit 260 - 1 is disposed on the light guide plate 220 - 2 , and more specifically is aligned vertically above the light source 230 .
  • FIG. 6 shows the light guide plate 220 and the pad portion 210 having different thicknesses from each other, it is possible that the light guide plate has the same thickness as the pad portion at the portion at which the light guide plate is in contact with the pad portion.
  • FIG. 7 shows the light guide plate 220 and the pad portion 210 having the same thickness. In the case in which the light guide plate has a different thickness from the pad portion, the tapered portion as shown in FIG. 5 can be adopted for the light guide plate to minimize the light loss.
  • a casing 250 encloses and separates the keypad assembly from its outer environment.
  • the casing 250 includes a protuberance 252 normally extending downward from an inner surface of the casing 250 .
  • the casing 250 may be integrally formed with the protuberance 252 by injection molding while the reflection unit 260 is attached to the protuberance 252 of the casing 250 . Otherwise, the protuberance 252 and the reflection unit 260 may be independently made and then assembled in an assembling process.
  • the light from the light source 230 is mostly transmitted in a vertical direction of the light guide plate 220 - 2 , while hardly transmitted in a horizontal direction of the light guide plate 220 - 2 . Then, the light transmitted from the light source 230 is directed by means of the reflection unit 260 to the light guide plate 220 - 2 , which in turn horizontally transmits the light toward the key buttons K.
  • the light introduced to the light guide plate 220 - 2 in this way is subjected to a total reflection at the boundary between the light guide plate 220 - 2 and the reflection unit 260 , so tat almost all of the light is transmitted through the light guide plate 220 - 2 .
  • the reflection patterns 214 arc coarsely formed at a site adjacent to the light source 230 , while closely formed at a site far from the light source 230 . Thereby, it is possible to ensure the entirely uniform brightness to the keypad.
  • the present invention can provide a keypad for a portable terminal with a uniform illumination.
  • the present invention is provided with the reflection pattern to locally emit light to the key button.
  • the light guide plate has the same thickness as the pad portion in the connecting region of the pad portion and the light guide plate, so as to minimize the light loss.
  • the present invention allows the keypad assembly to have a small number of light emitting diodes (LEDs), resulting in a decrease in the numbers of the LED and in the reduction of manufacturing cost.
  • the present invention can be applied to the region of the key buttons which are arranged at a side or at the edge of the pad portion having a relative darker area during operation, so as to provide a uniform illumination through out the key button regions mainly.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Push-Button Switches (AREA)
  • Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
  • Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
US11/348,782 2005-06-28 2006-02-07 Keypad assembly for portable terminal Active US7244899B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
KR1020050056494A KR100689394B1 (ko) 2005-06-28 2005-06-28 휴대 장치용 키패드 어셈블리
KR2005-56494 2005-06-28

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US20060289283A1 US20060289283A1 (en) 2006-12-28
US7244899B2 true US7244899B2 (en) 2007-07-17

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US (1) US7244899B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
EP (1) EP1739934B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (3) JP2007012605A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
KR (1) KR100689394B1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CN (1) CN100482006C (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE602006001261D1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

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EP1739934B1 (en) 2008-05-21
US20060289283A1 (en) 2006-12-28
KR20070000851A (ko) 2007-01-03
JP2007012605A (ja) 2007-01-18
JP5877782B2 (ja) 2016-03-08
CN1893704A (zh) 2007-01-10
EP1739934A1 (en) 2007-01-03
DE602006001261D1 (de) 2008-07-03
JP2010015995A (ja) 2010-01-21

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